Alex Reyes

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Alexander Reyes
St. Louis Cardinals
Pitcher
Born: (1994-08-29) August 29, 1994 (age 29)
Elizabeth, New Jersey
Bats: Right Throws: Right

Alexander Reyes (born August 29, 1994) is a Dominican American professional baseball pitcher in the St. Louis Cardinals organization. His highest level of play is at AA in Minor League Baseball with the Springfield Cardinals of the Texas League, where he played as of the end of the 2015 season. He was the Cardinals' top prospect entering both the 2015 and 2016 seasons.

Early life

Reyes was born in Elizabeth, New Jersey, and lived in New Jersey until he was 18. He moved to the Dominican Republic in December 2011 to gain residency so that he could sign with a Major League Baseball team as a free agent rather than be selected through the amateur draft.[1] In December 2012, he signed a $950,000 deal with the St. Louis Cardinals.[2]

Career

Reyes made his professional debut in 2013 for the Johnson City Cardinals of the Appalachian League.[3] In 12 starts, he went 6–4 with a 3.39 earned run average (ERA) with 68 strikeouts (SO) in ​58 1⁄3 innings pitched (IP). Prior to the 2014 season, Baseball America ranked him as the seventh-best prospect in the Cardinals organization. Also, Baseball Prospectus determined him the 98th-best prospect in all of baseball.[4] He spent the 2014 season with the Single-A Peoria Chiefs of the Midwest League. There, he notched a 7–7 record to go with a 3.62 ERA and 137 strikeouts in ​109 1⁄3 innings.[5]

Prior to the start of the 2015 season, Baseball America ranked Reyes as the 51st-best prospect in all professional baseball, and Baseball Prospectus ranked him 55th. Jim Callis selected Reyes as the Cardinals' top prospect for 2015, and although he did not make MLB.com's top 100, Callis named him the best pitching prospect not their list.[6]

Playing for the Class A-Advanced Palm Beach Cardinals of the Florida State League (FSL) in 2015, Reyes was the Cardinals' Minor League Pitcher of the month in April. He led the FSL with 35 SO and allowed a 1.71 ERA over ​20 1⁄3 innings.[7] His 13-strikeout performance on June 17 was a season-high. Including his previous 10 outings, he had posted a 1.79 ERA and 70 SO in ​50 1⁄3 innings. On June 25, Reyes was selected to represent the World team in the All-Star Futures Game after leading all of the minor leagues with a 13.4 strikeouts per nine innings pitched (SO/9). Through that point, he was also 2–5 with a 2.08 ERA, while striking 90 and walking 30 in ​60 2⁄3 IP.[8] He was also selected to the 2015 FSL mid-season All-Star game.[9]

With a 2.26 ERA, 49 hits and zero home runs allowed with 96 strikeouts in ​63 2⁄3 innings over 13 FSL starts, the Cardinals promoted Reyes to the AA Springfield Cardinals of the Midwest League in July 2015. The next month, Baseball America rated him as throwing the FSL's best fastball, best breaking pitch, and as the "best pitching prospect" in the league in 2015, according to managers and coaches.[10] He totaled a 5–7 record and 2.49 ERA over 22 starts in 2015, striking out 151 in ​101 1⁄3 innings while allowing a .197 opposing batting average.[11] The Cardinals selected him to play for the Surprise Saguaros of the off-season Arizona Fall League (AFL).[12] Baseball America also selected Reyes for the high Class-A minor leagues All-Star team for the 2015 season.[13]

After testing positive for marijuana, Major League Baseball suspended Reyes on November 9, 2015, for 50 games including the remainder of his AFL play and start of the 2016 season.[14] He and Austin Gomber were selected the Cardinals' co-Minor League Pitchers of the Year for 2015,[11] and Baseball America selected him as the top Cardinals' prospect entering the 2016 season.[15] MLB.com ranked him as the tenth-best prospect in all the minor leagues, and Baseball Prospectus at number 13.[16]

Reyes was activated from his suspension on May 22 to make his first start for the Memphis Redbirds of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League.[17]

Pitching profile

The pitches which Reyes regularly throws are a fastball which regularly reaches 100 miles per hour (160 km/h), a power curveball,[8] and a changeup. Noted to have prodigious lateral and horizontal movement, the fastball typically ranges from 94 miles per hour (151 km/h) to 97 miles per hour (156 km/h), making it very difficult for batters to hit solidly. It is most effective high in the strike zone. The curveball has been called a "wipeout" pitch with a vertical falling pattern following the points from "12-to-6" on the clock, making it equally difficult for batters to hit well. The combination of both the fastball and curveball contributes to the significantly-above normal strikeout rates. Reyes typically throws both pitches for strikes, although his command of the fastball was below average. The changeup will need increased refinement. His walk rate is higher than normal, but he gave up just one total home run in 2015. In 2016, Baseball Prospectus pronounced that Reyes "has one of the highest ceilings of any current pitching prospect."[16]

Awards

References

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  17. ↑ [1]

External links

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